Daniel's Rite of Passage
by amberfly
Summary: Daniel worries about his friends Cassie's mysterious illness.
1. Chapter 1

Author: Lisa

Series: Daniel's Rite of Passage.

Title: Marconi and Cheese.01/?

Category: General.

Warnings: None.

Unbeta'd but will _beg_ assistance when all done!

_**This is based on Season 5**__**- Rite of Passage. Daniel is a six year old boy and Jack is his guardian.**_

Daniel was in a dilemma. He'd been ordered to stay in his room, eat his macaroni and cheese supper, and then hop into bed. Jack had knelt down so his brown eyes had met blue eyes, and waggled a warning finger under his little ward's nose.

"Daniel, I really need you to do as I ask. Okay? When I am done, I'll come back and we'll talk. But, I can't concentrate if I am worried about you."

""Course, Jack! I still know how to follow orders you know!"

"Riiight. Okay, be good, eat your supper and drink your milk!"

Getting up to leave the room, Jack had promised he'd be back in time to bum most of the adored dessert. "Don't eat all the pie and save me some ice-cream!"

"Pfft!" Daniel waved him away, pretending he didn't care.

Time dragged on as he waited for his dinner buddy to return. He nibbled at his favourite supper, choked down half a glass of milk, and poked at his apple crumble. Daniel looked at his watch and sighed. He really wanted to eat his pie and then he _really_ needed to be with Jack.

"Okay, so, this is a problem. If I wait any longer my ice cream is going to melt!"

Moments passed and the vanilla ice-cream grew softer and softer.

"Maybe he was on his way but then that crazy Thor beamed him away? He's such a kidder!" Daniel's imagination went into overdrive.

Tip-toeing and opening the door, he waited for the tell tale scream of klaxons to start up. After a few minutes of silence he seethed with annoyance, and closed the door once more. "Okay, that was just a dumb idea!" Eying the apple crumble, he decided it needed to be eaten with vanilla ice cream not vanilla mush, and devouring it quickly groaned as an ice headache hit him. With a sigh, he banged down the bowl and pressed a hand to his eye. "Ouch!"

It hadn't taken long for him to recover, and carefully scrapping his macaroni into the trash, decided he needed to find out what happened to Jack. He hadn't _completely _discarded the Asgard connection. Opening his briefcase and finding the cool new gel pens, he wrote a quick note, explaining that while he hadn't been teleported away by an Asgard beam, he was nether-the-less, gone. Satisfied that was a suitable explanation, Daniel scampered down the hallway to the infirmary. He looked up and rolled his eyes. Nothing was going his way! First his ice cream melted and then someone had selfishly posted a guard outside the door! It was really testing his patience.

"'Scuse me!" He politely said to the burly sergeant "But I need to see my friend!"

The chiselled faced marine looked down, and raised an eyebrow.

"Hello, Doctor Jackson, does the colonel know you are here?"

"Oh, of course, after all where else would I be? I am a doctor!"

"Of archaeology."

Daniel sighed and sucked in his lip. "No, he doesn't. I'm supposed to be napping."

The Sergeant smiled. "So, had to know what was happening, huh?"

Hope sparkled in his eyes as he whispered, "Yes! That's it exactly!"

Sergeant Miller smiled and stepped aside allowing Daniel to wriggle close enough to peer around the corner. He didn't even complain when he felt the heavy hand ruffle his hair, instead finding the contact comforting.

"You won't tell?" He asked his newest conspirator, his eyes wide and expression unsure.

"Nope, you aren't doing anyone any harm I guess," Sergeant Miller replied kindly.

Daniel looked at Cassie as she lay in the infirmary her face was as pale as the sheets she lay on. With a sigh, he slipped his small hand into the sergeant's large one, looking up as a tear rolled down his round cheek. "She looks awful, doesn't she?"

Miller squeezed the tiny hand, and hunkering down, said, "She'll be okay, kiddo."

"Oh? Are you a medical sort of marine?" Daniel asked, leaving his hand where it was. "Because I thought you was just a jar…er…not a medical person!" With a smile that showed his all his tiny while teeth, Daniel added, "Not that there's anything wrong with being a…not medico!"

Miller chuckled very softy. "That's okay; there is room enough for jar-heads and egg heads, right?"

"Right!" Daniel grinned, and holding hands with the giant marine, he watched the drama unfold.

OoO

Part 2- A Heated Moment.

Daniel dropped to his haunches and chewed at his lip ferociously. All his friends were gathered in the room but he could tell that things weren't going very well. Janet was talking in that clipped tone that meant she wasn't happy. He hated that tone! Jack's tight lips meant he was feeling both tense and worried, and with a sigh, Danny knew it was only a matter of time before he blurted out the wrong thing. The more Sam ducked her head, the more he felt like throwing his arms around her, but when he edged forward he felt his t-shirt tugged from behind.

"Something the matter, Sergeant Miller? Need to sit down and rest your aching back?" He'd heard Jack say that the other day and thought it sounded very solicitous.

Miller just shook his head and Danny knew it was marine talk _for don't even think about it buddy! _

A moment's pause as he sighed.

"Sarge?"

Miller looked down. "Yeah?"

"Is she really going to be okay?"

Before the sergeant could respond, Daniel's finger made its way into his mouth and he mumbled around it. "She looks so…."

He couldn't help the tears that rolled down is cheek and forgot to complain when he was swung through the air and onto the sergeant's hip.

"Hey, need a better view?"

"Oh, won't you get sent to the brig for dereliction of duty? I hear marines are very into throwing people into brigs and such!" He sniffed and cuddled in a little closer.

"I'm off duty now, Doctor Jackson." Miller smiled and jiggled the little boy gently. "So, if I chose to spend it with you, then that's my beeswax."

Very cautiously, Daniel placed his finger back into his mouth and continued to chew at it. He looked at Miller, and took a slow, deep breath. "Thank you, I appreciate this very much."

"Here comes the Colonel, now." Sergeant Miller observed as Jack's long strides crossed the room. "Shh, unless you want to be busted for being AWOL."

Jack shoved his hands in his pockets and Daniel smiled at the sound of coins in his pockets jingling. "He can be such a dork! He always does that when he's nervous!" He whispered conspiratorially to the amused marine.

"How's she doing?" O'Neill asked simply, unaware his shortcomings where being discussed.

Janet shook her head and Daniel winced at the tears glistening in her eyes. He scrubbed at his own eyes and gave himself a stern, mental scolding. _Archaeologists do not blubber! _ But, still the disobedient tears continued to amass and trickle down his cheeks.

"Her fever still hasn't come down." Sam replied slowly and turned to face the colonel. "It's climbing according to the thermometer".

Janet busied herself until she walked over to Carter, a hypodermic in her hand. "Sam? I need to get a sample of your blood. Cassandra's blood work shows the presence of a retrovirus."

"Didn't she just get over the flu?" Bouncing on the balls of his feet, Jack shrugged a shoulder. "She did! I remember she couldn't sit Danny." Jack's face grew stubborn. "That can't be it, Doc!"

"Well, whatever this is it isn't the flu." Motioning Sam over to the next bed, she looked at O'Neill and murmured, "I only wish to God it was, sir."

Daniel threw a hand over his mouth before he gave himself away. What was all this talk about a retrovirus? Cassie had a cold; Jack had to stay home from work because she'd called up and she said she felt all tired and achy. "On no! This is all my fault!" He wriggled around until he could see Miller's face. "See, when Cassie rang I was real pleased because that meant Jack and I could spend the whole day together!"

"I know that you're feeling very frightened now but none of this is your fault, shortstop." Miller said softly.

"No, you don't understand! I crossed my fingers and hoped she'd puke all day! I am a terrible person, Sergeant Miller! You should just drop me on my selfish, fat head!" Tears welled up and he couldn't stop the sobs. "I am a horrible person!"

"You are not horrible, Daniel, there's nothing wrong in wanting to spend time with your dad. I like to spend all the time I can with my kids."

"You have kids?"

"Yup, Becky and Mikey."

"So, how do you know that it wasn't my fault?"

"Trust me, it's a daddy thing."

Daniel needed to hear the kind words; he needed to know he wasn't responsible for his friend's illness. All kinds of emotions swirled around in his head, and guilt made him feel sick. In a tiny voice, he watched Sam roll up her sleeve and shuddered. "Sure it's a horrible coincidence?"

Miller nodded. "Trust me, I never lie."

Happy with the sweeping statement, Danny rested his head against Miller's chest and tracked his friends as then moved around the infirmary. He couldn't help but notice their expressions grew grimmer by the second, but as he wasn't to blame for Cass, he felt a little better.

Sam pumped her fist so Janet could take her blood. Watching the needle slid in, Daniel wondered what she meant when she asked Janet about the relationship between the retrovirus and the EM field. It all sounded very unlikely to him, so he decided to ask his newest friend. He considered Sergeant Miller to be quite clever, for a marine.

"What does she mean by the relationship? Do you know?"

"We have had this discussion. I am a jar-head not an egg-head."

"You sound kinda nuts when you say things like that!"

"But I'm not. You know that."

"Well yeah, I guess I know that!" Danny said, "But when you say things like that, I have to remind myself a little bit!"

"Keeps you busy then."

"Drat! I can't hear her again!" Danny wriggled his bottom and almost lost balance as he leaned in to hear what Janet said. Miller sighed while he jiggled the little butt back into place.

"Maybe if you stopped jabberin'…"

"But, I have to tell you things in case you miss them!" Danny said feeling a little annoyed with both Janet's inconsideration and Miller's snippy comment.

"Colonel O'Neill is a saint isn't he?"

Daniel didn't know how to reply to what he considered to be a rhetorical question and concentrated on eaves dropping instead.

"Sshh!"

"I live to serve."

As Janet threw her hands into the air, Danny could almost feel frustration radiating from her. She pulled at a wad of cotton and stuck a plaster on Sam's arm. "Possibly, Sam, I don't know! Maybe, maybe not." Her face looked so drawn and grey and he hated to see her so sad.

Jack sighed as he smoothed Cass's blanket flicking at imaginary fluff before shoving his hands back into his pocket. His lips tightened with anxiety and he demanded an explanation. "What in the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"Cassandra's body is somehow generating a low level electromagnetic field that's periodically spiking. That could be why the light exploded on the porch." Frasier replied grimly, unhooking her stethoscope.

Daniel could see that Jack wasn't satisfied with that and winced as he snapped at Frasier once more.

"Well,_ try_ something else! God, with all this damn equipment why can't you do something?"

Her hand flew to her throat and her voice cracked with emotion. "Sir, that's the whole point. Because of the electromagnetic field, I can't do an MRI to find out what other effects this retrovirus is having. I daren't risk it!"

"For God's sake, woman, _look at her_!"

Sam grimaced. "We are doing our best!"

"Ya think? She's pale as a ghost for chrissakes!"

The tension was all too much for Daniel and as he buried his face into Miller's jacket and cried in an anguish tone. "I wanna go now!"

"Hey, what's all this about then?" Miller bent his head and his breath tickled Danny's ear, "I think we should hang about for awhile longer, don't you?" He winked at the little boy's look of amazement. "Turn around, shortstop; things are going to be A-okay!"

Cassie had cracked open her eyes, and running her tongue across her lips, murmured groggily. "Mom?"

"Look!" Daniel cried in amazement. His small face brightened and he made direct eye contact with Miller. "Look! Look! She's awake! Cassie got over her flu!"

TBC…

Part 3

On a Wing and a Prayer.


	2. Chapter 2

Part 3

On a Wing and a Prayer.

"Mom?" Cassie ran her tongue over her lips once more. "Mommy?"

"I'm here, baby." Grabbing the glass sitting on the bedside table, Daniel watched as Doctor Frasier spooned some of the melting ice into her daughter's mouth. "Here are, sweetie, just let the ice run down your throat."

"Where am I?" Cass whispered.

"In the infirmary, honey, you've given us all quite the scare!" The lightness of Frasier's

words didn't match the worry in her eyes, and pushing damp hair from Cassie's face, she tucked it neatly behind her ear. "I can get a basin and wash your hair if you like? Make you feel better?" Heat radiated from the girls' body but her face grew paler. "Sam, get the shampoo from my office? Top draw?"

Sam nodded, smiled at Cassie before turning towards the office, leaving Daniel open mouthed with shock. Since his down sizing, many things had stayed the same, but some things changed in a way that none of them could understand. Now, he detested having his hair cut, brushed, or washed, and Jack did almost anything to avoid the teary confrontation.

"If he wants to be a ragamuffin let him!" O'Neill said firmly leaving no room for discussion.

Danny constantly blew bangs from his eyes and smiled his gratitude to his now far taller friend. The very thought of Cass enduring hair torture made him forget where he was and where he was supposed to be.

"Oh, fer cryin' out loud!" He huffed far too loudly.

Busy, tired, and stressed, Janet didn't know her every move was being scrutinized until a squawk nearly gave them away.

"Did you hear someone just then?" She asked, hands on hips and staring at the empty doorway.

Jack craned his neck and coming around to the other side of the bed, took a long hard look. "Sergeant Miller?"

Miller dropped Daniel quickly and pushed him against the wall placing his fingers to his lips in a warning.

"Yes, sir?" He asked, moving into sight and standing at attention.

"At ease, Sergeant, just checking there was no problem."

"No problem, sir."

Daniel crouched to his knees, his hand pressed across his mouth. He thought his heart might bounce clear from his chest and he panted softly.

"You okay, little buddy?" Miller asked, taking his small, damp hand in his once more. "Want to come up?"

"I almost barfed all over my boots!" Daniel said raising his arms to be lifted. "Boy, are we ever tricky! Just like the old days with SG-1, 'cept, 'course, you weren't there!"

Pinching the bridge of his nose with his thumb and fore finger, Miller said, "In the old days, when I wasn't there, did O'Neill ever mention _silence_ was an effective way of _not_ being noticed?"

Daniel nodded. He then cupped his hand to his mouth and whispered his explanation a little too loudly. "But they wanted to wash her hair! Hasn't she suffered enough?" Shaking his own shaggy head he said, "This isn't good, Sarge, not good at all! Shall I say something?"

"Okay, look, here's what we'll do. You blow our cover by yabberin' while I think of an explanation Colonel O'Neill _might_ buy as to why we are eaves dropping by the door." Miller softly teased.

"No!" Hissed Daniel the same time Cassie yelled out in panic.

"No!" She cried as her brow wrinkled. "Leave me alone!" She wriggled away from her mother's soft touch before becoming agitated one more. "I couldn't finish the harvest!"

Janet and Sam exchanged worried glances. "Its okay, Cassie, it doesn't matter."

Daniel shrank further into the warm, protective arms holding him. Cass's outburst frightened him and he didn't like the odd look in her eyes.

"What harvest?" He whispered, his finger working its way back to its familiar place in times of stress. Why's she yelling like that?"

Gently capturing Danny's hand, Miller said. "Don't know, kiddo, think its time we left though."

Struggling to sit up, Cassie shook her head, her sweat dampened hair clinging to her face. "No, you don't understand! I have to go to the forest!"

Preparing an injection Janet struggled to keep her tone even and calm. "What you have to do is calm down!"

"I have to go! I have to go to the forest!" Cass battered at the hands restraining her, wild eyed and frantic. "I have to!"

The lights above her bed flickered and exploded and Jack threw himself over Cass to protect her from the falling glass.

"What the hell?" He demanded before clamping his mouth shut. Cass's eyes rolled back in her head and she lost consciousness once more.


End file.
